We went for a beer with Patrick and the band - Jesse found a newspaper full of photos of criminals with info about their convictions. This struck us as quite odd.

Chicago

Yes, I am listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as I upload this blog

I love my coffee... these people do it very very well:

The wonderful Patrick Watson:

Clickable crowd shot...

Nashville

see the website story on the Tour Posters to see some photos from in Hatch Show Print - this place is a proper old-school print shop, and one of the most amazing places I have ever been. And they had cats.

the above poster is made from this:

which is made of these:

and printed with these colours:

which are made in-house like this:

If you ever go to Nashville, you simply must got to Hatch Show Print - it's on Broadway, right in the middle of things.

Just as I thought Nashville couldn't get any cooler, it did... we went to United Record Pressing, where we recorded a 4-track acoustic session, entirely analogue - mixed straight onto tape with no electronic effects whatsoever - the reverb was recorded with a speaker and microphone in a stairwell, and the delay was a tape-delay running while we recorded. Much of the equipment belongs to long-time friend of ours, Mr Brendan Benson, and we were really happy that he dropped by to catch up. We'll do a story on the recording at some point, but we recorded 4 tracks, two of which we have never played before in any form.

United Record Pressing is another magical place - they manufacture vinyl albums here, including the Vinyl version of Strangeland. I took about a million photos, so I'll get on with it.

this is the master for one side of Strangeland, from which the records are pressed:

they even print the labels here themselves:

bags of resin waiting to become records:

in machines like this:

the writing is reversed on the master so it comes out the right way around on the record:

we recorded to the machine on the left, and the one on the right ran the tape delay.

oops

Nashville show, at the Marathon Music Works. This photo looks like I was taking a risk, but this was a freight line, and the trains are slow-moving, and you can hear (and feel and see) them coming from miles away. Don't try this at home, kids.

We were gutted when, 8 or so songs into the set, the venue's transformer (outside) caught fire, and the PA inside failed. Whilst there was no danger to anyone, it couldn't be fixed, so Silenced by the Night was the last song, though the crowd heroically finished the song without the music (just the acoustic drums!). I did remember to take a photo, so here you all are, and sorry!

Toronto

different tour, same beautiful skyline:

Montreal / 18th June

border crossing...

great cafe behind the venue

Keane tickets, anyone?

squirrels live here!

This one is clickable...

Philadelphia / 16th June

this next pic should be clickable to open large (unless I have done something wrong)

Oooh Rich, around the twenthy pic I still knew what to say about my favs, but now after more than, I don't know, hundreds of them, I have only one thought in my head, I just can't get enough of your pics... Even like that I still must comment about the one of the little house in Nashville is lovely and that round shiny structure, I don't know what is, but is beaaaautiful, looks like a giant drop of water in the middle of the square. That's it, keep the good work and joy in your soul, kisses!

Thanks Richard, I was attending the Orpheum Theater show, And I have to tell you that was awesome to be there.
This was my seventh concert. Since I met Keane, I am always following Keane, sending you the best wishes for you to have peace in your lives and health to be strong and that you have lots of love to still be good friends and to have your families content.
Thanks to you Rich, Tim, Tom and Jesse for a great show, for all the feelings you inspire with Strangeland.
-eve-

muy bonitas imagenes Sr.Hughes! USA is really an amazing country to take pics, eh? It´s good you go flying there, so I can safe me this long 9 hours (?) flight trip (never been to USA, too long this flight for me). So, thanks very much! I must say to the venues-pics: really lovely venues, doesn´t really fit to the New World....and how amazing the Salt Lake City venue as open air place. Very cool for summer and not too big! Did I miss this time a timelapse-video? No worries. Take a well deserved rest.

LOVE the SLC crowd pic! That was the best gig of the tour as I'm sure you would agree.... The LA crowd shot is awesome too, what a fun gig! I miss you boys already *sobs* I wish our time together never ended :(

Thank you for sharing so many beautiful and colorful photos! I love all the DUMBO shots... it's the best vantage point to view the Manhattan skyline. I guess dedicated crime blotters are not common on your side of the pond (unfortunately they are in certain areas in the US, and I heard it's one of the profitable areas in newspaper publishing). Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed North America and come back to tour again soon!! I had a great time at your NYC and Philly shows. P.S. Can't wait to hear those 2 new songs that were recorded in Nashville!

Mr. Hughes!...I've missed your blog!...found the pictures (and the process) ot the United Record Pressing quite interesting... cant wait to hear what that will sound like....nice Charger!! and the men on the motorcyle...well"That's just not right.. enjoy your cold brew and your rings!!

@Annette M, it seems to me bands like Keane, who make deep, emotional, thoughtful music, are going to be liked mostly by people who have a more serious approach to life (not boring though) rather than people who think life's all about having fun, doing whatever they want, and being crazy. but this is just my thought on the matter.
My dad (who is not a Keane Fan, but he doesn't dislike them) is the one who took me, and after the concert he was quite impressed and said Tom had one of the best voices he had ever heard! Which, in my mind, proves that Tom really is one of the best singers, and it's not just fans who think that! Just thought I'd add that last part! haha!

Thank you Richard for this update of the US Tourblog! I'm always so excited to see your pictures of the crowd, especially when I'm IN the crowd :P - I loved the picture of Milwaukee by night, it's such a beautiful city, and I enjoyed so much the weather there (and the show of course!). Nashville is nice as well, but the it was so hot, my god, queueing was a nightmare. I especially enjoyed the photos from Hatch Show Print and United Record Pressing, I already got the poster, I can't wait the vinyl to be released! I actually only buy your vinyls for collection now, since I don't have a record player here in Houston, so I hope we will be able to download those 4 tracks in mp3 as well. A huge thank you to all of you for this amazing website, to the band for sharing with your fans all the magic and the beauty of your new record (and of all the oldies performed during the tour). I will always remember my 4 concerts of this tour, I will remember Scott, and the sad moments following the shocking news about the accident in Canada, I will remember the happy memories of all the lovely fans I met, and I will keep celebrating life and music with your songs. Lots of love, Simona.

Laurelizabeth - Keane fans are for most really nice - my partner always says that whenever I drag him along to Keane concert (he loves them too -but doesn't like forking out money for anything) but hes done it 3 times for KEane this year so they must be good!

Dear Keane- Richard, great photos of Chicago. I see
myself with little Natalie in the balcony. Thanks for
the photos with Natalie after the show. I won't post
those photos online, they are just for her to keep.
Keep up the great work. Theresa

ISA, from Brasil, Sao Paulo **** Wow, lots of new photos, thank you! If you really come to Sao Paulo opening Maroon 5 show (well, I do have to say the fans are not thinking that was a good idea... anyway....) ask someone to take you, Rich, to the neighbourhood called Vila Madalena, nearby Vila Ida and Vila Beatriz, you will find lots of interesting things to photograph, I guess! Great areas to take a walk, indeed! Lots of love! XXXXX

Never thought I would see Maurice "the Rocket" Richard here in a photoblog (hey, he's your tocayo, Rich!)! The Monarch Butterfly (incredible long distance migrant), the peace bus, el gato, and 'we (the village) believe that differences should enrich rather than divide' were my favs. Saw y'all in Toronto, still on a high from the show!

This is not a country that I like so the cat and the butterfly stole my attention in the first pictures, but the photo of the cat is wonderful, to me a hard time taking a good picture of my cats is very difficult :(

I went to my first Keane concert on June 25th in Denver.
I look forward to it for a long time, and it feels like the time's going by slower than usual. I get to the day of the concert and minutes feel like hours. I haven't been to many concerts and I don't quite know what to expect from this one. We eat dinner and FINALLY it's time to go! I sit in the car, hardly able to contain my excitement! We get closer and closer...I see it! The Paramount Theatre on the left, and I see the word KEANE! this is it! As we wait for the door to open I see something I've actually know very few of, Keane fans, people who know the same songs that I have memorized by heart! People who would actually know what Bedshaped meant (maybe), who would want to go to England just to go to a little cafe by the sea, who would take a picture and have the caption be the lyrics to a Keane song, people who think Tim Rice-Oxley is a genius and Tom Chaplin is the best singer in the world!
We're let in and we find our seats and wait......wait for the thing to start.
The opening band, Kiev, get on stage, and they're pretty good. I find the guy playing the saxophone very amusing to watch.
They end, but now they have to set up the stage for Keane. It seems to take forever, but then they come on! To see a band that I love for the first time in person! To see Tom, Tim, Richard, and Jesse standing so close! They start the night off with 'You are Young' and it's unbelievable! That voice, that perfect voice, so full of emotion...amazing! 'Day will Come' is next and it's such a fun song, but it's not an empty song, like so many artist these days make.
'Nothing In My Way' brings back memories of a friend that lives on the other side of the world, and I love the ending, it's so fun to sing along to!
When that Strangeland sign lights up and then they play the song of the same name (or atleast part of it)...oh man! I love that song! I hear the beginning of 'On The Road', and I know this is gonna be great. It seems to me that it must be a fun one to play, as well as sing, and from watching Tom durning this song, it appears he really is having fun!
Next, a song that's so beautiful, I hear 'A Bad Dream' and I feel like cheering! That's a song I was really hoping to hear!
'Perfect Symmetry', a song from an album that I feel lots of fans don't appreciate as much as they should. I love 'Spiralling', 'Better Than This', 'You Haven't Told Me Anything', and quite a few others.
I hear People getting excited as the start of 'Everybody's Changing' is played. 'My Shadow' has that part that I like so much! "cause when your back's against the wall, that's when you show no fear at all, and when you're running out of time, that's when you hitch your star to mine" I could listen to over and over again.
Yes! 'Bend and Break' is up next! I try to film it so I can show it to a friend, but my camera runs out of space before I get to the part of the song I wanted to get.
'Leaving So Soon?' sounds great!
Now a song I fell in love with the first time I heard it, 'The Starting Line'. That powerful chorus! No wonder Tom likes it so much.
Trying to sing along to 'Disconnected' is well...it's a bit lower than I normally sing, then it suddenly changes, and all of the sudden it gets high. But Tom sings it wonderfully!
And here comes a Tim Rice-Oxley masterpiece, 'This is the Last Time'!
Sing along time! Yes, it's 'Somewhere Only We Know'. I know everybody likes this song, but I can help but call it my favourite. All the memories that come flooding back when I hear this song. When it ends, the applause is just awesome!
I must say 'Is it Any Wonder?' is quite entertaining to watch!
'Bedshaped'! The song I listen to on rainy days...this song is...absolutely fantastic! 'Sovereign Light Cafe', the highlight of the knew record, as well a cafe that's I'm proud to say I've been to! The crowd start clapping when the bridge comes, so I join in.
The band exits the stage, but there has to be an encore.
They come back on but the drummer's not there. I know what song is coming now! 'Sea Fog'. Tom's voice, the piano, the backing vocals, all of it is enough to get me teary-eyed. The song ends, and here comes Richard!
He takes a picture of the crowd! Richard's awesome! I knew 'Silenced By the Night' had to be somewhere, and here it is. It might not be my favourite, but it's great live! To end the night with a bang, 'Crystal Ball'! Perfect finish to and amazing night!
I sang every word of every song! But I would have liked to hear 'Hamburg Song', 'Spiraling' 'You Haven't Told Me Anything', 'Better Than This' (which is practically my theme song. I sing it anytime I'm not doing that great on something). On Second thought, I would've liked most all of their songs to be played.
As we get back in the car and drive home, I feel strangely sad and happy at the sane time. That was one of the most fun things I've done! Ever! But it's over, I don't know if or when I'll get to see them live again. It was over too soon! We get home and i'm asked how the concert was. "it was awesome!" I tell them. Tom's voice! I can't get over how beautifully flawless that voice is! And as a Christian going to a secular concert, I have to say, I was impressed! There was nothing crude, the crowd was a good group of people, not annoying people you just don't want to be around.
Someone asks me if I want to go again.
My answer? YES! they reply, "but you just got back." so my response is "I know, But I could have listened to them play every single song of theirs and I'd still be singing along at the end!"
Just thought I'd give a bit of encouragement to the band!

Not to be a spoilsport, but I was waiting outside at the Montreal show for more than 5 hours with my husband, and we saw not Richard taking some of those photos (including the one of the scalper) but another man. I wondered how Richard was able to sneak around unnoticed taking all those photos and now I know: he has a helper, at least for some! meanwhile the show was awesome and I am so glad to have been able to see it!

Great pictures! My friend and I were at the Strathmore show in N. Bethesda. It was AMAZING....absolutely brilliant! Richard, we were so excited that we got to meet you and Tim after the show, you were both so nice (she said to say thanks for getting in the photo with her and the cool-looking security guard, that was pretty awesome of you). Can't wait to see you guys again when you come back to the D.C. area.....which will be soon, I hope!

I love all your photos, Richard. Can't wait to see shots from the mini concert in Nashville. :) It was so nice to meet you and give you the scarves as a token of my appreciation for all that you do for us. Keane music brings me joy. Thank you so much.

This pictures are amazing, Richard! ----- People, as you know Keane are coming to Brazil to play with Maroon 5 in august! But the brazilian fans also wants a solo gig! Some fans made a video begging to the band come as soon as they can to play here again! If you support us, please use the hashtag #KeaneOnly on your twitter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfe9yvnL3Kw&feature=youtu.be Thank you!

ISA, from Brasil, Sao Paulo *** WOW, lots of new photos that I did not notice they were here before! Great, indeed, thank you for sharing, Rich, I will post on my facebook page the one with the cat, with the credits to you, of course! Have a nice week! Thabnk you again! XXXXX

Thanks Richard for the photoblog, makes me feel like I'm back in Montreal..... BTW how did you manage to take a photo of my cat Lily...LOL this kitty looks just like her, spooky! Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Fantastic photos, as always. I love your photos, and so look forward to seeing them. I've been having withdrawals since the Boston and New York shows! Seeing you lovely boys live is one of the greatest experiences of my life, I can't thank you guys enough! Much love always!

Oh my gosh, I wish I could have seen Keane in New York City! That would have been incredible. The pictures look fantastic and it seems like you guys are enjoying yourselves very much! I bet coming to America is a big culture shock considering you guys were born and raised in the UK. I'm counting down the days until you come to Vancouver :)

Pics are now clickable & working, thanks. I really like those venues with balconies remembers me of Shepherd´s Bush & Brixton Academy in London. They look like theaters, but also they do gigs in them or only gigs nowadays? I also like the nightshots, but where´s the book-shop with the cats¿?

Brilliant pictures, as always. I like the fact that you "focus" on such lovely (and funny) details sometimes. I loved the pictues of the crowd of course :P I don't think I can spot myself in the stage-pic you took in Philadelphia, someting is wrong with the clickable version, but in any case I was so far from the stage.... Thanks for being so nice to spend part of your day-off uploading pics for us :D I can't wait to see Milwaukee and Nashville blog :P Thanks for sharing your "visual" memories!! Love, Simona

I wasn´t in Boston, but the crowd pic is obviously not clickable. My laptop says: 404 requested Url not found. Just saying. Yup, my life is now complete. I like the butterfly pic & the Leuchtschriftzug (I´m too lazy to google for the right english word for it) well, the pic with the sign of the Beacon Theater with the twitter-logo is really awesome. I guess only in USA possible, etc. Cheers!

Bless you, Richard! You guys were absolutely mind-blowing every second of the Chicago show! Thank you for everything. Some of the clickable pictures are showing up as 'ERROR' just to let you know! Can't wait for the rest! Hope you're all safe and having fun!

Richard - I'm on the wrong blog - but the reason you got such a good response in the UK (bllimey even Peter Kay turned up - wish I had gone to Manchester just for that). Is that KEane was on fire. Tell tim all his new songs are brilliant and thats why they got such a good reception! I like the banter that comes out of Tom (oh yeah and that amazing singing) and it gets even better when you join in! And the next time you tour I'm going to book more shows becos you give it 100%. I took my kids and one of them is now a convert! There were also a young couple of 15 behind me so you are defintely attracting younger fans. You should join the queue becos your fans are so varied its a priviledge to be standing with them.

LOVE the photoblog Rich!! Just wrapped up the best Keane week ever with shows in Toronto, Chicago and Milwaukee...thank you thank you thank you..can't wait to see the rest of the photos from the road :)